Effects of enzyme-modified soybean beverage on the composition, yield, functionality and microstructure of Cheddar cheese-like products

Using soybean beverage can improve the nutrition of cheeses and expand their varieties. However, addition of soybean beverage results in cheese-like products with undesirable soft texture and loose structure. Herein, soybean beverage was treated with flavourzyme and then mixed with cow milk to prepare Cheddar cheese-like products, and the chemical composition was not standardized before the production. Compared with non hydrolysis soybean beverage, enzyme-modified soybean beverage significantly decreased the moisture content and yield of cheese-like products, increased the protein and fat content and pH, but had no effect on protein and fat recoveries. Changes were more dramatic in products with high degree of soybean beverage hydrolysis. Hardness and storage modulus were increased upon addition of enzyme-modified soybean beverage, and especially values of products supplemented with high hydrolysis soybean beverage were comparable with those of products made only with cow milk. The protein matrix became compact upon adding enzyme-modified soybean beverage, with numerous small whey pockets, similar to the microstructure of products made only with cow milk. Thus, without decreasing the yield, low hydrolysis soybean beverage can effectively improve the texture and structure of Cheddar cheese-like products. •Cheddar cheese-like products containing soybean beverage could expand cheese variety.•Adding soybean beverage results in an undesirable soft texture and loose structure.•Using enzyme-modified soybean beverage can improve texture and structure of products.•Low hydrolysis soybean beverage yields products with desirable qualities.